Lexical Summary Qeni or Qini: Kenite Original Word: קֵינִי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Kenite Or Qiyniy (1 Chron. 2:55) {kee-nee'}; patronymic from Qayin; a Kenite or member of the tribe of Kajin -- Kenite. see HEBREW Qayin NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom Qayin Definition members of the tribe of Kenites NASB Translation Kenite (7), Kenites (5). Brown-Driver-Briggs קֵינִי adjective, of a people of II. קַיִן 1 (q. v.), ׳חֶבֶר הַקּ (dwelling in North Israel), ὁ Κειναῖος Judges 4:11,17 (twice in verse); Judges 5:24 (against WMM Jen, who refers ׳ק here to city Kîn near Megiddo, mentioned by Egyptian, see especially Bu Now on Judges 4:11); read probably also ׳חֹבָב הַקּ Judges 1:16 (for ׳בְּנֵי ק; so Bu GFM; ᵐ5 οἱ υιὁὶ Ιοθορ τοῦ Κειναίου); elsewhere as name of a people collective ׳הַקּ settled among Amalekites, Numbers 24:21 (J E; see II. קַיִן 1), 1 Samuel 15:6 — = קֵינִי 1 Samuel 15:6 (We Bu Kit קַיִן, HPS הַקֵּינִי); — ׳הַקּ also 1 Samuel 27:10; 1 Samuel 30:29 (B ᵐ5L Κενεζ(ε)Ι =קְנִזִּי A Κηνελ, Κειναῖος); Genesis 15:19 (list of peoples; R); = הַקִּינִים 1 Chronicles 2:55 (Κ(ε)ιναῖοι), related to Rechabites. Topical Lexicon Identity and Origins “Kenite” designates a semi-nomadic clan dwelling in the arid zones south of Canaan and along the Sinai and Negev trade routes. Closely related to the Midianites, they are best known through Jethro (also called Reuel or Hobab), Moses’ father-in-law (compare Exodus 2:16; Numbers 10:29). Their name (Strong’s 7017) is consistently rendered “the Kenite(s)” and marks them as a distinct but friendly neighbor to Israel. Early Mention in the Abrahamic Covenant Genesis 15:19 places the Kenites among the nations occupying the Promised Land that God covenanted to give Abram’s descendants: “the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites”. Their inclusion underscores both the breadth of the promise and the future displacement of nations opposed to Yahweh’s redemptive plan. Life in the Wilderness and Entry into Canaan The kindness of Jethro and his clan forged an enduring bond. When Israel set out from Sinai, Hobab guided the people through the desert (Numbers 10:29–32). Centuries later that loyalty is remembered. Judges 1:16 recounts that “the descendants of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up with the sons of Judah… and lived with the people of the land.” Their settlement “among the Amalekites” (wilderness of Judah) positioned them as a buffer tribe on Israel’s southern frontier. Alliance through Jethro and the Family of Moses Jethro’s visit (Exodus 18) brought wise counsel that shaped Israel’s judicial structure. His worship of “the LORD” (18:11–12) shows an early Gentile acknowledgment of Yahweh’s supremacy. The Kenites thereby stand as a testimony that faith in the true God was never ethnically restricted. Role in the Judges Era: Heber and Jael During the oppression by Jabin of Hazor, Heber the Kenite had pitched his tent far to the north, near Kedesh (Judges 4:11). Though there was “peace between Jabin… and the family of Heber,” Jael shattered that neutrality. Judges 4:17 describes Sisera’s flight to her tent; with the infamous tent-peg Jael gained lasting praise: “Most blessed of women is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite” (Judges 5:24). Her decisive act illustrates covenant loyalty transcending blood ties and highlights the Kenites’ alignment with God’s purposes. Prophetic Perspective: Balaam’s Oracle Numbers 24:21–22 sees Balaam turn his gaze to these same people: “Your dwelling place is secure, and your nest is set in a rock; yet Kain will be destroyed when Asshur takes you captive”. The prophecy both commends their strategic security and warns that mere geography cannot ultimately protect from judgment. Historically, later Assyrian expansion absorbed the entire region, validating the oracle. Mercy Shown by Saul and David When Saul was sent to “strike Amalek,” he first warned the Kenites: “Go, depart… for you showed kindness to all the Israelites when they came up from Egypt” (1 Samuel 15:6). Their remembered kindness spared them from the herem devoted to Amalek. David, operating from Ziklag, twice intersected with Kenite territory (1 Samuel 27:10; 30:29), ultimately sharing the spoil “with those in Hormah, in Bor-ashan, in Athach, and in Hebron, and with all the places where David and his men had roamed.” The gift to “those in Rakal… and to the Kenites” (30:29) signals mutual goodwill and the Kenites’ ongoing role as allies of Israel’s anointed king. Later Integration and Scribal Service 1 Chronicles 2:55 names “the families of scribes who lived at Jabez… These are the Kenites who came from Hammath, the father of the house of Rechab.” By the monarchic period a portion of the clan had settled inside Judahite territory and assumed literary, administrative, and possibly Levitical-support functions. The Rechabites, celebrated in Jeremiah 35 for their faithfulness, descended from this Kenite line, demonstrating multigenerational fidelity. Theological and Ministry Insights • Covenant Hospitality: The Kenites illustrate Proverbs 18:24—“there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Their kindness to Israel in its infancy produced lasting blessing. Summary The Kenites emerge across the Old Testament as hospitable guides, valiant allies, prophetic subjects, spared sojourners, and dedicated scribes. Their account reinforces the truth that God’s covenant grace can graft willing outsiders into lasting partnership with His people, producing fruit that blesses generations. Forms and Transliterations הַקִּינִ֣ים הַקֵּינִ֑י הַקֵּינִ֔י הַקֵּינִ֡י הַקֵּינִֽי׃ הַקֵּינִי֙ הקיני הקיני׃ הקינים מִקַּ֔יִן מקין קֵינִ֖י קֵינִי֩ קיני hakkeiNi hakkiNim haq·qê·nî haq·qî·nîm haqqênî haqqînîm keiNi mikKayin miq·qa·yin miqqayin qê·nî qênîLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 15:19 HEB: אֶת־ הַקֵּינִי֙ וְאֶת־ הַקְּנִזִּ֔י NAS: the Kenite and the Kenizzite KJV: The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, INT: the Kenite and the Kenizzite and the Kadmonite Numbers 24:21 Judges 1:16 Judges 4:11 Judges 4:11 Judges 4:17 Judges 4:17 Judges 5:24 1 Samuel 15:6 1 Samuel 15:6 1 Samuel 27:10 1 Samuel 30:29 1 Chronicles 2:55 13 Occurrences |
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